Alzheimer's group ensures patients aren't alone

John Petsas, 53, moved his parents Dorothy, 82, pictured, and George Petsas into his Anaheim Hills home in 2006 to take care of his father, diagnosed with Alzheimer's before his passing in January. Petsas called the Alzheimer's Association Orange County chapter hotline to get help after his father's diagnosis and has been a volunteer for the group ever since. He has helped raise $15,000 for the organization to date. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Golden Envelope

The Orange County Register's gift cheque program is a $12.4 million investment plan launched by the paper in November.

The paper sent 124,000 seven-day Register subscribers "golden envelopes" containing a $100 cheque. Subscribers then designated a 501(c)3 charitable program in Orange County as the beneficiary.

More than 1,300 charities will receive free advertising in the Register or any of its weekly or biweekly community newspapers under the program, which can be used to promote their missions and fundraising efforts.

Alzheimer's Association

Total revenue: $2.634 million

Total expenses: $2.823 million

Program spending: $2.099 million

Management spending: $307,100

Fundraising spending: $417,022

Net assets: $1.673 million

Source: Alzheimer's Association, Orange County chapter

When John Petsas' father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease in 2006, he moved both parents into his single-story home in Anaheim Hills.

Shortly after the move, John Petsas called the Alzheimer's Association's 24/7 helpline.

"I just needed someone to talk to that could understand what I was feeling," Petsas, 53, says. "It's a devastating and debilitating disease that puts a burden on the person and the caregiver."

Through the eight years his father, George, lived with Alzheimer's, Petsas used the services of Alzheimer's Association, Orange County chapter, and helped raise more than $15,000 through walks, events and other fundraisers.

This past year, his mother, Dorothy, was diagnosed with dementia.

"We're all inevitably going to be affected by it in some way or another," John Petsas says, referring to the disease.

In 2012 alone, the Alzheimer's Association served 23,000 individuals in Orange County affected by the disease in some way, according to the nonprofit.

It's because of the charity's hard work in the community that Orange County Register daily subscribers earmarked $102,800 in advertising space through the paper's Golden Envelope program.

Like Petsas, David MacInnis, 49, had a father with Alzheimer's disease.

"He had the beginning symptoms of it roughly 13 to 15 years ago," MacInnis says. "So we moved him into my brother's house in Georgia. He died a year and a half ago from Alzheimer's."

In 2010, MacInnis co-produced a show titled "Broadway Memories" to raise money on behalf of Alzheimer's research.

After the show, Jim McAleer, president and chief executive of the Alzheimer's Association's Orange County chapter, invited MacInnis to an event.

The same day as the event, MacInnis's mother-in-law was diagnosed with the disease.

"Jim took my wife aside and spoke to her as a true helper," MacInnis says. "That sold us on the Alzheimer's Association. That's when we decided to really get involved."

MacInnis serves as a board member for the Alzheimer's Association, Orange County chapter, helping to oversee the organization's direction, fundraising and financial planning.

John Petsas, 53, moved his parents Dorothy, 82, pictured, and George Petsas into his Anaheim Hills home in 2006 to take care of his father, diagnosed with Alzheimer's before his passing in January. Petsas called the Alzheimer's Association Orange County chapter hotline to get help after his father's diagnosis and has been a volunteer for the group ever since. He has helped raise $15,000 for the organization to date. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
John Petsas, 53, wrote a memorial to his dad, George Petsas, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and passed away in January. "They (Alzheimer's Association, Orange County chapter) helped me before, during and after my dad's passing. Two members even came to his funeral and I get constant emails from the organization making sure I'm doing alright," Petsas says. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
John Petsas, 53, got rescue dog Manoli to help with his dad's Alzheimer's. The dog helped with his memory. For John, taking care of his parents and having them live with him was natural. "We've always been a tight-knit family. I wouldn't want it any other way," Petsas says. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
John Petsas, 53, and his mom, Dorothy Petsas, 82, need no reason to hold hands. It happened this time as John recalls a funny story in which he was the teenager black sheep giving his parents a hard time. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
Walk to End Alzheimer's flowers grace the garden of John Petsas, whose dad, George Petsas, was diagnosed with the disease in 2006. George was an avid gardener. CINDY YAMANAKA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

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